Collapsible funnel.



y c. LESTER. COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL. APPLlCATIOH FILED IULY 28.1916..

Patented. Oct. 9, 1917.

FHEuZ FIL-1.a..

lNvraN-ron WITNESSES CHARLES LESTER, or AM'BEIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA, aSSreNoE` or ONE-FOURTH To FRANK L. MQCEEADY, or sEwrcKLEY, PENNSYLVANLA, AND ONE-FOURTH To :PHILIP L SOHN ANDONEEOUETH To IEvIN. SOHNBOTH or AMERIDG'E, PENN- SYLVANIA.

To all whom t may concern z Be it known that 1, 4CHARLES LESTER, re-

' siding at Ambridge, in the county of Beaver intended service.

and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen ofthe United States, have invented or discovered certain new andv useful Improvements in Collapsible F unnels, of which improvements the following is va specification.

' My invention consists in a collapsible fun nel. It finds particular valuewhen assembled in the combination with a cap or closure for an opening-an opening suclnfor instance, as the lilhngopemng of a gasolenek tank or 'of the radiator of an automobile. The object in view in such'a combination-is, of course, to have the funnel'normally out of the way and protected from dirt,\but ready at hand whenit is needed.

lIn the accompanying drawings Figure l is a view inpvertical section through the tilling opening of such a liquid container as an automobile radiator, and through the structure of my invention in position of closure upon that opening. This figure shows the tunnel collapsed. F ig.12 is a similar view of the same parts; but with the funnel expanded and the structure of my invention inverted and serving as a funnel for thev flexibility of the sheet, the funnel may al-v ternately be collapsed, as shown in Fig. 1, or distended, as shown in Fig. 2. The sheet 3 will conveniently be cut and formed to the conical shape best indicated in Fig. 2. A restraining hoop. A may be provided, to hold the funnel collapsed. The sheet 3 of flexible material may be a Sheet of'varnished cloth, or it maybe a sheet of some flexible material unaliected by gasolene or boiling water. In any case, it will be of a material suited to the It will, ordinarily, be brought at its lower edge into substantially fluid-tight contact with the base-plate 1. As shown in the drawings, the edge of the sheet Specification of Letters lE'atent.l

coLLarsiELE EUNNEL.

3 is coiled upon a'ring55, and clamped t0 plate 1 by the ySpanner plate 6. and set-screw 7. The perforations in plate 1 are arranged as may be desired; they open of course through the portion of the plate surrounded by the sheet Comparing Figs. '1 and '-1, the perforations are'indicated at 8.

A'second `plate 11 is spaced at a Suitable interval from plate lf-and on the Side of plate 1 opposite the funnel 3; such Spacing may convenientlyk be accomplished by bolts 13 (ofrwhich there are preferably three or more) ,f which, Ipassing' through the two plates 1 and l1, hold .them at axed maximum distance apart. This second plate v.11 is provided with a central orifice 12.

The ribs 2 already described as carrying l'the web 3 and pivoted to the. periphery of I P atentedOct. 9,1917. Application filed July 28, 1916. Serial No. 111,839. f Y. g f i plate 1 extend on both sides of plate-1: they .extend on one side, as already explained, to carry the web 3; on the other side they extend obliquely (with respect to the axisy of the funnel) into the vspace between plates 1 and 11. A third 4plate' 141 iioats between plates- 1 and 11; this iloating plate on one Side bears upon the extensions 17 of ribs 2; on the other side it isengaged 'by a coiled spring 15, compressed between it and plate 11. On the side toward plate 11 the plate 14 is provided with a plug 16 for loriiice 12. The construction (as will be apparent on comparing Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings) is Suchthat the collapsing of the funnel will move plate 14C upward (Fig. 1) against the tension of Spring 15 and cause plug 16 to close orifice 12; the releasing of the funnel will allow springl to expand, driving plate 141 downward (Fig. 1) -uncovering 'orifice l2 and expanding the funnel. The floating plate 14 will be suitably shaped and arranged, as by being cut away (Fig. 3), to

allow the passage' of liquid. y

The drawings show the funnel of myinvention applied to the filling opening in the walls of a water tank' of anautomobile. 10 is theflange of the filling opening, and the plate 11, provided with a sleeve-like' flange, becomes a cap Vfor thisopening.

Fig. l shows the parts in position of clo- I sure; the funnel is collapsed, orilice 12 is closed, and the cap 11 is in place, covering the filling opening of the tank 9. It will be observed that the collapsed :tunnel then hangs downward and is contained wholly tenesse within the tank. TWhen the tank is to be filled, cap 11 is screwed off. Hoop 4f is then slipped in one direction or the other, to free the ribs of restraint. Thereupon spring 15 expanding shifts iloating plate 14C from the position shownin Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. ln consequence of this shifting, orifice 12 is uncovered and the funnel is expanded. The funnel thus prepared may be set on the filling opening of the tank (or, if desired, on the filling opening of another tank) in the position shown in Fig. 2 (the inverted position, relatively to that of Fig. 1), and in that position, manifestly, it is ready for service. rlhe shoulder 18 on the outer face of cap 11 is shaped and proportioned to lit neatly in the bore of the flange 10 of the filling opening.

If desired a dust-cap 19, removable by hand, may be secured upon the outer side of cap 1l, protecting the orifice 12 from accumulation or" dust. Such a dustecap is shown in Fig. 1, in place, as it will be when the cap is closing the filling-opening; in Fig. 2 it will be observed (the funnel being there in operative position) the dust-cap has been removed.

I claim as iny invention:

1. 1n a 'funnel structure the combination of a perforate plate, a collapsible funnel secured to said plate, a perforation-covering plug movable to and fro with respect to said plate, and means coordinating the eX- panding and collapsing of the funnel with the movement of the plug.

2. In a funnel structure the combination Copies of this patent may be obtained for of two plates spaced at an interval apart, a plurality of levers pivoted peripherally to the rim of one of said plates and extending on one side obliquely between said plates and extending on the other side asrfunnel ribs, and a third plate floating in the space between the two plates first named and bearing yieldingly upon the ends of said levers.

3. ln a funnel structure the-combination of two plates spaced at an interval apart, and a third plate floating between them, one of the two plates lirst named being provided with a plurality of levers pivoted to its periphery, and a spring, said floating plate being engaged between the inturned ends of said levers and said spring.

4. In a funnel structure the combination of a peritorate plate, a second plate spaced at an interval from the first, said second plate being provided with a plurality of levers pivoted to its periphery, said levers extendingon one side to constitute funnel ribs and on the other side being turned in between said plates, and a third plate floating between the two plates previously named andv movable to cover and uncover the peroration in the perforate plate, said floating plate being held yieldingly against the inturned ends of said levers.

ln testimony .whereof I have hereunto set my hand. f

errantes Lnsrna.

Vitnesses CHARLES RANDER, T. J. BALDWIN.`

live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

